Church expansion project becomes reality 

Dawley Baptist Church in Telford church has started work on expanding its community facilities, after securing £45,000 of National Lottery funding

Dawley Baptist Church last week heard it had been successful in obtaining the bumper grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, allowing work to begin on adding a new annexe to the existing building on Park Road, Dawley Bank.

Ground preparation work started immediately, with building work due to begin on Monday (9 March).

The new annexe will increase the size of the community room, as well as adding three small meeting rooms and upgrading the kitchen. The facilities will be available for the local community to use, as well as for church activities.

Ian Olliver, Minister at Dawley Baptist Church, said, 'This is a fantastic day for Dawley Baptist Church and the wider Dawley Bank community as a whole. I am absolutely delighted for all of the people in our church who have worked so hard to make this project a reality.

'Dawley Bank and the surrounding areas have seen a lot of new building in recent years, but not a lot of new community space.

'Our church is one of the few places where residents can gather to build the friendships which can make a community thrive.

'That’s why we’re embarking on this project. We want to serve the people in our vicinity, and this extra space will give us more opportunities to do that, for the glory of God.'

The church is already an important community hub in Dawley Bank. Each Friday around 40 local residents gather in the building for lunch as part of the church’s Bank Top Café project.

It is also home to weekly slimming groups, crafting sessions and a toddler group.

The annexe will mean more groups will be able to use the facilities moving forward.

The annexe is costing £210,000 in total. Waste management experts Veolia also came forward with a £45,000 grant, while Telford & Wrekin Council provided £20,000 through its Telford 50 Legacy Fund.

There were also generous contributions from Dawley Town Council, Lawley & Overdale Parish Council and other individuals and organisations to make the vision a reality.

Ian added, 'I’d like to extend our thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund for their tremendous generosity, as well as Veolia and Telford & Wrekin Council and all the other donors. These organisations have really bought into what we are trying to achieve.'

The work is scheduled to take 16 weeks.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK. 

Image | Dylan Birtwhistle, left, helps Minister Ian Olliver get the work started